A. Technical Field
The present invention relates to: a microcapsule composition for electrophoretic displays; a production process for the microcapsule composition for the electrophoretic displays; a production process for a sheet for the electrophoretic displays; and a handling method for microcapsules for the electrophoretic displays.
B. Background Art
Electrophoretic displays are non-light-emitting type display devices which utilize electrophoretic phenomena of pigment particles in a dispersion including a colored solvent and electrophoretic pigment particles that are dispersed in the solvent. The electrophoretic displays have many excellent properties, such as wide visual-sight angle, longtime memorizability without supply of electric power, and low consumption of electric power. Particularly above all, notice is drawn to microcapsules having a structure such that the above dispersion is sealed in a capsule shell to be a partition material (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 2551783), because such microcapsules are useful for obtaining display devices having flexibility further in addition to the above properties. There is expected further technical development into fields of so-called digital papers (e.g. paper-like displays and rewritable papers).
By the way, as to the electrophoretic displays using the microcapsules which are mentioned above as the display devices to which notice is drawn in recent years, indeed there might have been seen great enhancements in various functions such as longtime stability of displaying, respondability, contrast, and number of times of display rewritability, when compared with conventional electrophoretic displays without any microcapsule. However, the realization of further enhancement of the above various functions is in demand for making the displays utilizable universally for various uses as the displaying devices in the future and also for producing various applied examples. Particularly above all, as to the contrast that has a great influence upon image vividness, it is strongly desired to further enhance its performance.